During a surgical procedure, it can be difficult to maintain a steady frame of reference with respect to the patient tissue within the surgical site. For example, the surgery may modify the patient tissue, the patient tissue may move within the patient's body, blood may obscure the patient tissue, local anatomic conditions may require that the patient tissue may be viewed or manipulated at an awkward angle for the surgeon, or the like. In addition, the patient tissue may be slippery or unstable within the surgical site.
Accordingly, a guide pin or guidewire may be temporarily engaged with the patient tissue and protrude therefrom to provide a landmark to orient the user during the surgical procedure. Particularly when the patient tissue of concern is bony or otherwise able to firmly engage and support a rigid structure, an orthopedic guidewire may be attached to the patient tissue to provide a location orientation relative to the patient tissue.
Additionally, a sufficiently sturdy or rigid guidewire may be used to physically guide a tool to a desired location on the patient tissue. For example, a reamer could have a center hole that fits over the rigid guidewire for reaming an area of the patient tissue concentrically surrounding the guidewire.